Friday, May 25, 2012

I adore a good swashbuckler story! This is the one I was just finishing up when I asked you on Wacky Wednesday about what kind of heroine you would like to exchange places with if you could. I would love to step into Raeven Russell's shoes for even a short time and spend a day with Bastien Cutlass!THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE by Shana Galen is the third in the Sons of Revolution Trilogy. I'd read the first two and so when Shana first offered ARCs of this seriously awaited novel, I was clamouring for the opportunity but only recently was she able to send me one. I immediately started reading it even though I was already knee deep in another. It was well worth the late nights.

Blurb for THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE:

Revenge should be sweet, but it may cost him everything...The Marquis de Valère
escaped certain death in the French Revolution and is now an infamous privateer.
Out to avenge the death of his mentor, Bastien discovers himself astonishingly
out of his depth when confronted with a beautiful, daring young woman who is out
for his blood... Forgiveness is unthinkable, but it may be her only
hope...British Admiral's daughter Raeven Russell believes Bastien responsible for
her fiancé's death. But once the fiery beauty crosses swords with Bastien, she's
not so sure she really wants him to change his wicked ways...

* * * * * *

Raeven Russell is the daughter of an Admiral. She's lived nearly her entire life on the open seas. She fell in love with a captain in the Royal Navy but when that captain is murdered by a pirate that goes by the name of Captain Cutlass, she wants revenge and nothing will stop her from getting it - not even her father locking her in her cabin.

Bastien Cutlass is a privateer who has made the sea his mistress. Having lost his family to the atrocities committed under the name of freedom during the French Revolution, he has spent his life as a sailor and privateer. After his surrogate father is murdered by Jourdain, a once upon a time friend to him, he channels his every move toward hunting the man with the goal of exacting revenge.

Raeven and Bastien have more than the love of the sea in common. Raeven wants revenge on Bastien, Bastien wants revenge on Jourdain and both are trying to keep one step ahead of Admiral Russell. Raeven soon discovers that herfiancé's death was a mishap of battle and her desire for revenge on Bastien begins to wane as her attraction to him grows exponentially. Bastien's need for personal revenge on Jourdain remains steadfast but when the opportunity to see it through arrives, he makes the choice to save his ship and the woman who has begun to burrow her way into his heart instead. You'll soon find yourself asking the same questions Raeven puts to fate - will they find a way to stay together? Will Bastien find his family if they still survive? Will they ever admit their love for each other?

I thoroughly enjoyed the Sons of the Revolution Trilogy but I have to say that this final installment is by far the best and most adventurous. It brings the family together again which is touching and consoling for Bastien but sad for us, the readers. If you haven't read the first two books in the trilogy, please do but as much as I recommend you do, this one does very well as a stand alone. Of course, by the end, you'll be hunting down the others to learn their tales.

THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE by Shana Galen is exciting, action-packed, thrilling, and a page turner from the very start. If you don't fall totally in love with Bastien then I'd definitely suggest you check to make sure your female card is up-to-date. I don't believe there is a woman alive who can resist this Charming Rogue Pirate!

THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE is a swashbuckling adventure that takes historical romance to new heights. The heroine is tough, spirited and as skilled as any man yet soft and yielding to the only man who can fire the passions she never knew she had. The hero is a gentleman pirate who leads his men with loyalty, skill and a determination to meet his goals as well as bring them all home safely. Just as Raeven comes to admire Bastien for skills as a sea captain and defender of his ship and crew, so shall you. I highly recommend this wonderful historical romance that takes you on an ocean adventure that will have you cheering, swooning, and even shedding a tear as Raeven and Bastien experience pirate life together.

Happy Reading Everyone!

THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE by Shana Galen, Sourcebooks Casablanca, available now in print and ebook format.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

I do believe that we read Romance Novels for escape from our every day world, for excitement and romance. But I think my main reason is to let my imagination fly where it may go!

I am currently reading a story that is giving me everything I want while reading. I love stepping into the shoes of the heroine. I love my growing attraction for the hero. I love that there hasn't been a dull moment since I opened the cover and started reading. You might be wondering about now what book I'm reading - don't worry, when I'm done reading I'll review it just not today.

I'm wondering what kind of heroines draw you in so intensely that you experience all that she's experiencing from what she wears, through her adventures whether in the ballroom or on a runaway horse. If you've fallen in love with a certain hero then you probably walked in his heroine's shoes so that you could be folded in his arms, kissed by his lips and experienced the thrill of hearing words of love and passion whispered in your ear.

I've always be drawn to the swashbuckler life. I love the idea of being a heroine who tosses aside her fancy dresses and fine things to take up a life on the sea. A heroine who is as tough as any man yet is willing to be all the woman her sea-faring man will ever need. But then again, being Miss Elizabeth Bennett to her Mr. Darcy isn't such a bad way to go either.

So I ask you this - if you could step into the shoes of a romance novel heroine, what kind of heroine would she be?Or if you have a particular heroine you most favor, who would she be?And why is she your choice?

Oh, don't forget there's still time to read my interview with author, Pamela Palmer - who creates some awesome heroines lucky enough to fall in love with some dangerous but oh, so sexy heroes - and comment for a chance to win your choice of any current Feral Warrior novel. Giveaway is open to everyone, US & International, but closes tonight, May 23rd at 11:45PM EDT, so hurry! Click Here for the interview! THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

Monday, May 21, 2012

On Friday, I reviewed the soon-to-be released first book in Pamela Palmer's new Vamp City series, A BLOOD SEDUCTION. If you haven't read my review, please do - click here - but be sure to come right back because I've got the author, Pamela Palmer, visiting here with me today to talk about this extraordinary book and her new series. Plus she's got some Feral Warriors that she wants to find new homes for as well.

Blurb for A BLOOD SEDUCTION:

Vampires live only for lust and pleasure in the eternal twilight of Vamp City. But the city's magic is dying. The only person who can restore it? A beautiful woman from the mortal world ... one who knows nothing of the power she wields.

Quinn Lennox is searching for a missing friend when she stumbles into a dark otherworld that only she can see--and finds herself at the mercy of Arturo Mazza, a dangerously handsome vampire whose wicked kiss will save her, enslave her, bewitch her, and betray her. What Arturo can't do is forget about her--any more than Quinn can control her own feelings for him. Neither one can let desire get in the way of their mission--his to save his people, hers to save herself. But there is no escape from desire in a city built for seduction, where passion flows hot and blood-red. Welcome to Vamp City ...

* * * * *

Truly, if you love dark stories about vampires, you've got to read this new paranormal series. Now without further ado, I'd like to welcome one of my all time favorite authors, Pamela Palmer!

Amy: Welcome Pamela, it's a real delight for me to have you here with us today. Perhaps you can tell us a little bit about yourself for the benefit of those who don't know you yet.

Pamela: Hi Amy! I’m delighted to be here. I’m the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Feral Warriors shape-shifter series, the Esri series, and the soon-to-be released Vamp City series. I have (or will have in about a week) fourteen books in print. I’m an ex-industrial engineer, avid reader, and daydreamer who lives with my family in the suburbs of Washington, D.C.

Amy: Fourteen books is quite an achievement, congratulations. I've read everything you've written, even your unique historicals under Pamela Montgomerie. Of course, I adore your Feral Warriors and enjoyed your Harlequin Esri Series immensely, so I'm intrigued by what inspires you.All of your stories have a touch of magic to them, what has been your greatest inspiration in your writing?

Pamela: That’s a good question and I’m not sure I entirely know the answer. My first passion as a child was dinosaurs. At the age of four, my favorite book was The Golden Book of Dinosaurs. I suppose I’ve always been drawn to the larger-than-life. In fifth grade, I discovered two things simultaneously: space (we did a science unit on the solar system) and Star Trek. I decided I wanted to be an astronomer, then switched to wanting to be an astronaut until I was nineteen and finally realized that the space shuttle was never going to take me to those strange new worlds. But I credit Star Trek with inspiring my love of all things weird and fantastical—Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Virtually the only television shows that interest me are sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal (Fringe, Game of Thrones, Vampire Diaries, True Blood, the Walking Dead, Spartacus (okay, I like hot, naked guys, too)). [Amy: Don't we all! *wink*] But when it comes to my reading, I’ve almost always turned to romance. If the book doesn’t have a strong romance, I’m bored. I adore paranormal romance and I love urban fantasy as long as it contains a strong, satisfying romance.

Amy: Your Feral Warriors are the ultimate in good guy heroes, bigger than life, and so admirable in their natural instinct to protect women. With that in mind, I'm curious about the muse that took you in a completely different direction when it came time to create your Vamp City series?

Pamela: Ha! Are you saying the vampire Arturo isn’t a good guy? : )

Here’s the thing about A BLOOD SEDUCTION (Book 1 in my Vamp City series)…it’s book one of five, and it’s going to take all five to tell Quinn and Arturo’s story. Arturo definitely doesn’t start out as the epitome of the romance hero. (A lot of early reviewers are calling him an anti-hero.) Then again, Jag (the jaguar shifter hero of Rapture Untamed) didn’t start out as much of a hero, either. At the 20% mark of Jag’s book he was still pretty much a dyed in the wool ass. I love a hero with a long way to go. Always, always, always, they must have a core of honor and goodness, but they don’t always know it…or, in the beginning…show it all that often. Damon in Vampire Diaries (at least the t.v. show) is a good example of this. I find men like this endlessly fascinating—men that have a lot to learn and a lot of ways they have to change and grow before they’re deserving of love and loyalty and a happily ever after. What I love about writing the Vamp City series, and the reason I wanted to write a multi-book romance, is that with five books I have room to develop the hero and heroine’s relationship slowly. Don’t give up on Arturo just yet. ; ) That vampire has a heck of a journey ahead of him. And Quinn is just the woman to make it worth his while.

Amy: I'm hoping Arturo does come through as Quinn's hero! A BLOOD SEDUCTION can't really be called a traditional paranormal romance in the sense that it's obviously an ongoing story but it also leans more towards paranormal/urban fantasy. How did you ever convince Avon Romance to take a chance on such a unique and severely dark series with such a, for now, anti-romance hero?

Pamela: LOL. To be honest, I was surprised when Avon wanted to buy my Feral Warriors series, which is quite dark, though not as dark as Vamp City. At the time, Avon had a reputation for publishing primarily light historicals, which is definitely no longer true. Jeaniene Frost paved the way for me with her Cat and Bones series, which is also a multi-book romance, straddling the line between urban fantasy and paranormal romance. When I told my editor (whom I adore) that I wanted to do a bigger story, a multi-book, she was all for it. I sent her a brief proposal of the Vamp City series, a 2-3 paragraph synopsis of each of the five books, giving her the big picture. She loved it. She’s always let me do pretty much whatever I wanted with my stories.

Amy: And we are so very thankful that you've been given such freedom with your writing. It's obvious that Quinn, Arturo, and I assume, Zack, will be reappearing throughout the Vamp City series. I can feel a sense of underlying good guy in Arturo Mazza even though he is most definitely one of the most manipulative characters ever created. Without giving away too much, can you tell us how long it will take for him to come to the realization that his emotions for Quinn are stronger than just lustful desire for her to belong to him?

Pamela: Your assumptions would be correct. : ) On all counts. Arturo does have a lot of honor in him, but he’s a lot like Damon Salvatore (if you’re a Vampire Diaries fan) in believing that life as a vampire is easier if you push aside the morality and embrace what you are. How long will it take for Arturo to start to realize Quinn matters to him? Well, even in book 1, she’s getting under his skin. By the end of the book, he’s done several things, things that could (and will) cause him trouble, for her. No vampire thwarts Cristoff and gets away with it.

Amy: Cristoff terrifies me as he should and although Arturo helps Quinn knowing they both will suffer, he also knows she will be the one to suffer most. True Bad Boy, that one. It's obvious that there is a question about Zack that is brought to our attention at the end of A BLOOD SEDUCTION - will Zack become a hero presence in the series and will poor Lily ever be rescued from Vamp City?

Pamela: Ha! Not telling. : )

Amy: Rats! I thought I could coerce you into giving us a little preview! How many books will we be seeing come to us in the Vamp City series?

Pamela: The Arturo/Quinn arc will be five books. After that, we’ll see. There are other characters who may get their stories told.

Amy: I hope so, especially Zack, we see him gain real maturity in this first book. I found A BLOOD SEDUCTION to be one of the darkest stories I've ever read. It's Stephen King meets Anne Rice with some psychological thriller from Dean Koontz thrown in for good measure. It's BDSM meets horror and leaves the reader (at least it did me) with nervous anxiety and an unwillingness to turn out the light and go to sleep. Of course, I'm a fan of scary movies and books so I truly didn't mind. Knowing from experience how involved a writer becomes in their own characters and the worlds that we create, I wonder how, while writing this novel and those that will come, do you keep from terrifying yourself. Does living with these cruel and dominating vampires give you nightmares?

Pamela: Honestly, no. The wonderful thing about being the creator is that I’m in control, more or less. My characters might argue that point, and they’d be right—they wind up driving the action more often than not. The scariest part of violence and fear is the unknown. And when I’m the writer/creator, I know what’s going to happen, more or less. I don’t watch horror movies, not the slasher flicks designed to scare. But if I did, I’m sure I’d find they’re never as scary the second time you see one, because they’ve lost the scare factor. You know what’s coming. So while my vamps might be scary, ultimately, they all answer to me.

Amy: Glad to hear that and I hope you keep that Cristoff under control because I wouldn't want to meet him on the streets of Georgetown. *wink*

I usually finish with the question: If you could be ANY character in ANY book, which character would it be and why? But once upon a time, I was given the opportunity to ask you which of your characters you would most want to be and you answered, that it was Faith from ECSTASY UNTAMED because she can fly.

So, I'm going to go in a different direction: Of all of your characters, including those in A BLOOD SEDUCTION, which is the one most like you and why?

Pamela: I remember that question! And it’s a lot easier than this one. Lol! Each of my heroines (and truly, most of my heroes) have a part of me, some piece of my personality whether it’s my stubbornness or persistence or sense of fair play. But they’re each their own person, too. So much of who we are is formed early in our lives. Who would Kara (in Desire Untamed) have been if she’d been encouraged to follow her dreams instead of pressured to remain home with her mother, a woman who knew the danger Kara was in even though Kara did not? Who would Delaney (Obsession Untamed) have been if her mother hadn’t been murdered, driving her into the FBI to catch the ones who got away? Who would Skye (Passion Untamed) have been if she’d grown up within the safety of her family instead of the captivity of the soulless Mage? In some ways, they’re all me, or the me I would hope to be if I were put in the same situation. But in other ways, each is a unique individual and not like me at all. So who is most like me? I have no idea. Sorry!

Amy: I guess that's how it should be then. Just as your characters grow and change so do you. We're glad of that since with change comes more characters. Pamela, thank you so very much for taking time from your busy schedule to spend time with us today. It's been a delight and a very special treat for me as I hope it has been for our visitors. Congratulations on the upcoming release of A BLOOD SEDUCTION and I'm very much looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Pamela: Thanks so much for having me, Amy! And thanks for the good wishes on the upcoming release. : ) I have a question for all of you. I’ve given you an idea of the types of television I like to watch. What are you watching and loving these days? I’ll let Amy choose two winners to receive a signed copy of one of my Feral Warriors books, winners’ choice. And if you have any other questions for me, ask away!

Amy: Well, you heard the dear lady, what are you watching and loving most on television these days?

For me, it's GAME OF THRONES and THE BORGIAS but next month, I'll be in 7th Heaven when TRUE BLOOD returns on June 10th. Yay! That's my prize since I'm not eligible to enter the giveaway but you are, so:

For a chance to win a Feral Warriors Novel, please answer Pamela's question- What are you watching and loving most on television these days? - leave it in a comment WITH your EMAIL ADDRESS because, remember if I can't contact you, you can't win! Two (2) eligible and very lucky commenters will be chosen at random. Those two lucky people will be able to choose which of the Feral Warriors they'd like to have come live at their house - in book form, of course. This Giveaway is open to EVERYONE (US & International) and will run until 11:45PM EDT on Wednesday, May 23, 2012. THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! THANKS FOR VISITING!

If you'd like to learn more about Pamela Palmer and her fabulous series, please visit her website - click here to travel there. Happy Reading Everyone!

A BLOOD SEDUCTION, a Vamp City novel, by Pamela Palmer, Avon Romance, release date, May 29th, 2012, available in print and ebook format.

About Me

I am a lover of all things literature but there is a special place in my heart for Romance Novels of all sorts. Yes, I am proud to proclaim that I read Romance Novels. Some day, I hope to proclaim, that in addition to being a reader of romance, that I am an author of romance as well.

I love Unwrapping Romance, Romance Novels and their Authors - 60 million readers can't be wrong!

Advertising Disclosure

By clicking through to Amazon, Kindle, Kobo, or Barnes & Noble by way of the links provided and making a purchase. I will earn a small percentage of the sale (very small - lol). All funds help to keep this blog running and allow me to write. For further information see my FTC Disclosure. Thank you.